Shearing device for cables



1959 L. RADKOWSKI EI'AL 2, 7

SHEARING DEVICE FOR CABLES Filed June 6. 1952 IN V EN TOR.5 (0 EHDKOWJKTH MAS A. 0A4) atent fiicc 2,870,676 Patented Jan. 27, 1959 2,870,676SHEARING DEVICE FOR CABLES Leo Radkowski, Thomas A. Daly, and OliverEikel, Jr., Sharon, Pa, assignors, by mesne assignments, to the UnitedStates of America as represented by the Secre= tary of the NavyApplication June 6, 1952, Serial No. 292,042 2 Claims. (Ci. 89-11) Thisinvention relates to self-guided missiles of the type havingelectrically settable controls adapted to be pre-set from a remotecontrol station by an electric cable extending between the missile andcontrol station, and more particularly, to novel means for electricallydisconnecting the settable controls from the control station when themissile is fired.

Missiles of the type referred to are provided with certain velocity,direction, elevation and other controls which must be pre-set before themissile is fired, this being attained by suitable electrically operatedinstrumentalities carried by the missile and controlled at a pointremote from the missile through an electric cable extending between thestation and the missile. Upon firing of the missile the electricalconnections must be broken, preferably as close to the missile aspracticable, which requires either a complicated separable electricconnection or the severing of the cable.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a novel cablesevering shear device, actuated by the cable and the relative movementbetween a missile and its control station.

Another object is to provide a pivoted shear device with a knife edgewhich latter rotates relative to the cable as it progressively movesthrough it.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is an elevation of the subject of the invention, attached to afragmentary portion of a missile with which it is employed;

Fig. 2 is a section and elevation taken on line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail as viewed in the direction of arrow 4, Fig.2;

Fig. 5 is a-section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on line 6-6, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7, Fig. 6.

Referring in detail to the drawing, a portion of a missile M is providedwith a mounting plate 10, affixed thereto in any suitable manner, thisplate having a fiat outer surface 11, upon which rotates a plate-likeshearing device 12, pivotally secured to the mounting plate by a pivot 113. If the missile is provided with a fiat surface at the position wherethe shearing device is to be attached thereto mounting plate 10 may bedispensed with and the shearing device may be pivotally secured directlyto such flat surface. It will be understood, accordingly, that mountingplate 10 is merely an optional adapter plate which may be constructed tofit any surface on the missile casing and that the important feature isthat a flat mounting surface be provided in any suitable manner.

An electric cable C, having a plurality of insulated wires therein (notshown) extends through an aperture 14, these wires, at end of the cable,being connected to the various control instrumentalities (not shown)within the missile and connected at the other end 16 to the remotecontrol station (not shown).

The shearing device 12 is provided with a convex cutting edge 17 whichis generally involute shaped between points 18 and 20 and straightbetween points 20 and 21. It will be observed that the radii R betweenpivotal axis 22 and edge 17 or 20 increase in a clockwise direction(Fig. 1).

The shearing device is provided with an integral lever 19 having abifurcated free end formed by legs 23, 24. As best shown in Figs. 6 and7, a hook shaped end 25 on one end of a spring 26 extends through anaperture 27 in leg 23 and secures the spring to the latter. As bestshown in Figs. 4 and 5, the other end 28 of the spring is provided witha loop 29 which seats in a slot 3% in leg 24. A lateral slot 31 joinsslot 30 and permits end 23 to pass therethrough when loop 29 is to beseated in slot 30. A small shear pin 32 prevents unauthorized pivotalmovement of the shearing device.

In operation, cable C is looped through the legs of the bifurcated leverand spring 26 extended with a suitable tool to dispose loop 29 in slot30 and thus form a closure between the legs to prevent the cable frommoving outwardly from the legs. End 16 is fixed to the con trol stationand as the missile moves in the direction of axis 32 the cable tightensabout the lever and rotates same in counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1),first shearing pin 32, the cutting edge then passing across aperture 1 3and severing the cable.

The term missile as hereinafter employed in the claims is to beconstrued in its broadest and generic sense and to include anyself-guided device such as a torpedo, rocket or the like.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. it is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What we claim is:

1. In a torpedo of the type having electrically actuated controls and acable having a plurality of electrical conductors therein extendingbetween the torpedo and a control station through which the controls maybe preset, the improvements in combination comprising; a cable shearingdevice movably carried by the torpedo for shearing the cable, and meansincluding the cable for moving said cable shearing device in response torelative movement between the torpedo and the control station, saidmeans including a lever carried by the cable shearing device having abifurcated free end through which an intermediate portion of the cabledetachably extends, and means for preventing unauthorized movement ofthe intermediate portion of the cable outwardly from the bifurcated freeend.

2. A cable shearing device for use with a torpedo of the type havingelectrically actuated controls which may be pre-set through a cablehaving a plurality of electrical conductors therein extending betweenthe torpedo and a control station, comprising; a cable shearing devicepivotally carried by the torpedo for shearing the cable, and a levercarried by the cable shearing device engaging an intermediate portion ofthe cable for rotating the cable shearing device in response to relativemovement between the torpedo and the control station, said intermediateportion being rotatable with the lever as the shearing device shears thecable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,257,126 Schneider Feb. 19, 1918 1,957,931 Benedict May 8, 19342,396,921 Leslie Mar. 19, 1946 2,467,763 Martin Apr. 19, 1949 2,710,384Dupre et a1. June 7, 1955

